Should dogs over 7 years of age be switched to a senior diet across the
board even if the dog is healthy and active? I have read that the 16%
protein in most of these diets is too low. I have a 7 yr old retired
racing Greyhound which I just recently adopted. He has also recently
been diagnosed as hypothyroid and is currently on 0.6 thyro-tabs 2 times
a day. What causes hypothyroid? Is it diet related? He is currently
eating Canidae adult food.

"Mike Wolf" wrote in message
...
Should dogs over 7 years of age be switched to a senior diet across the
board even if the dog is healthy and active? I have read that the 16%
protein in most of these diets is too low. I have a 7 yr old retired
racing Greyhound which I just recently adopted. He has also recently
been diagnosed as hypothyroid and is currently on 0.6 thyro-tabs 2 times
a day. What causes hypothyroid? Is it diet related? He is currently
eating Canidae adult food.

Hypothyroidism is not diet related nor is there anything you can do to help
it except for the use of medicine.

Here's some info on hypothyroidism:
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/hypothyroidism.html

Regarding what age to switch to senior formula, IMO, do so when your dog is
noticably less active and/or showing signs of old age. In dogs with
lifespans of 15-18 years 7 is still a young adult and way too soon to switch
to senior. In dogs with lifespans of 8-10 years then 7 is a very good age
to switch to senior. You can also consider the addition of supplements to
your dog's existing diet if you think he/she is missing something in the
diet.

--
Tara

That is a good question. What is your position on this Steve Crane? I'll
ask Gaubster too since he will chime in anyway!

Life is about risks. Producing a diet that is designed to MIN-imize
risks is the objective. A senior diet is typically designed by looking
at the most common risks that face an animal at that particular state
of life. In senior animals we have known expected risks. Increased
risks of cardiac diseases, obesity, kidney failure, onset of canine
cognitive syndrome CCS, etc.

To produce a diet designed to reduce those risks one might reduce
sodium levels, reduce chloride levels, change protein a bit by using
less but better and more easily deigestible protein, thus reducing
phosphorus levels. Reduced fat and overall calorie levels, Kibble
density will likely be changed as well to a slightly softer kibble.
Added and increased levels of certain antioxidants known to reduce the
risk of CCS might be added as well.

As far as what age - there isn't a number you can properly apply to all
breeds of dogs. My old rottie was placed on a senior diet at age 5, my
wife's Pom was 10 years old before we moved to a senior formula.
Consider that the average expected lifespan of dogs varies so greatly
choosing a single number - 7 or 8 - for the age is frought with error.
In cats it is much easier, there is very little differrence in life
spans of cats.

Small toy dogs like Yorkies might well live to be 25 years old, my
rottie passed away at age 14 which was much older than most rotties. A
St. Bernard at age 5 is much "older" than a Yorkie at 8.

Probably more critical we need to think about differentiating the
current senior lifestage. There is a HUGE difference in disease risk in
the last few years of any pets life. I think in cats we ought to be
looking at a "geriatric" lifestage after age 14. In dogs perhaps that
would be in the 15 year range for toys and 10 year range for large
breeds.